Peg for holding articles on a line

ABSTRACT

A peg for holding articles on a line, comprising a first member having a first jaw portion and a first lever portion and a second member having a second jaw portion and a second lever portion. The peg has a pivot means pivotally connecting the first member and the second member at a position between the jaw portion and the lever portion of each member, and also a releasable securing means configured to secure the position of the first member relative to the second member at various positions. Each of said jaw portions defines a jaw, and the peg is configured such that the jaws are pivotable towards each other by pivoting the lever portions towards each other.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a peg for holding articles on a line.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Clothes-pegs for holding articles of clothing on a clothes-line are well known. A common type of peg has two elements of plastic or wooden material held together by purposely formed ends of a helical spring. The helical spring is arranged to force the two lever portions apart and force the jaws together. Thus in use, the jaws are opened by manually squeezing the lever portions together, and then closed onto an article on a clothes line by releasing the lever portions. The pressure that the jaws of the peg exert on the article depend on the particular design of the peg, and in particular the choice of spring used in the manufacture of the peg. Consequently, the user is unable to control the pressure that the peg applies to the article, resulting in too much pressure being applied to delicate fabrics, while too little pressure is applied to heavy or large articles such as towels, sheets, etc. that may fall or be blown from the line.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a peg for holding articles on a line, comprising: a first member having a first jaw portion and a first lever portion; a second member having a second jaw portion and a second lever portion; a pivot means pivotally connecting the first member and the second member at a position between the jaw portion and the lever portion of each member; and a releasable securing means for securing the position of the first member relative to the second member, wherein each of said jaw portions defines a jaw, and the peg is configured such that the jaws are pivotable towards each other by pivoting the levers towards each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a clothes-peg 101 for holding articles such as clothes, sheets, towels, etc. on a line;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show further details of the clothes-peg 101 in a perspective view and in a front view respectively;

FIG. 4 shows the individual components of the peg 101;

FIG. 5 shows an alternative peg 501;

FIG. 6 shows the outer toothed arm 504 and the pivot pin 507 in further detail;

FIG. 7 shows a further alternative peg 701 embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 8 shows a further alternative peg 801, which is substantially the same as the peg 101 of FIG. 1 but which has a securing means like that of peg 701 of FIG. 7.

WRITTEN DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

FIG. 1

A clothes-peg 101 for holding articles such as clothes, sheets, towels, etc. on a line is shown in FIG. 1. The peg 101 comprises a first member 102 and a second member 103 which are pivotally connected by a pivot mechanism 104. The first member 102 comprises a jaw portion 105 and a lever portion 106, while the second member comprises a jaw portion 107 and lever portion 108.

The jaw portions 105 and 107 each define one of a pair of opposing jaws, 109 and 110 respectively. The jaws 109 and 110 each have a concave surface configured to receive a clothes-line and portion of an article, such as an article of clothing, such that the peg may be used to hold the article on the line.

The pivot mechanism 104 is positioned between the lever portion and the jaw portion of each member 102 and 103. The members 102 and 103 are moveable in a scissors-like manner such that when the lever portions 106 and 108 are rotated towards one another the jaw portions 105 and 107 are similarly rotated towards each other. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, when the lever portions 106 and 108 are at their closest the jaws 109 and 110 are closed.

The peg includes a ratchet mechanism 111 which provides a means of securing the relative orientations of the first and second members 102 and 103. The ratchet mechanism 111 includes a button 112 which disengages the ratchet mechanism when depressed to allow the two levers 106 and 108 to be moved apart, thereby moving the jaw portions 105 and 107 apart.

The button 112 is provided with a spring means 113, such that when the button 112 is released the spring means acts upon the button to return it to its usual position and so re-engages the ratchet mechanism.

FIGS. 2 and 3

Further details of the clothes-peg 101 are shown in the perspective view of FIG. 2 and the front view of FIG. 3. The ratchet mechanism 111 comprises an inner toothed arm 201 extending from, and rigidly attached to, the lever portion 106. The inner toothed arm has a free end 202 located within a channel defined by an outer sleeve 203 such that it is slideable within said channel. The outer sleeve 203 itself extends from, and is rigidly attached to, the second lever portion 108. The inner toothed arm 201 and the outer sleeve 203 are each shaped to extend along an arc having a centre of curvature at the axis of the pivot mechanism 104. Consequently, the inner toothed arm 201 is able to slide within the channel of the outer sleeve 203 as the lever portions are moved relative to one another about the pivot mechanism 104.

An outer toothed arm 204 is pivotally connected to the second lever portion 108 by a second pivot mechanism 205. The outer toothed arm 204 comprises the button 112 and a toothed portion 206 having teeth configured to engage with those of the inner toothed arm 201. (The toothed portion 206 is shown more clearly in FIG. 4.) The spring means 113, which is located between the sleeve 203 and the underside of the button 112, acts upon the underside of the button 112 such that the teeth of the toothed portion 206 are brought into engagement with the teeth of the inner toothed arm 201. When the button 112 is manually depressed, the spring means 113 is compressed and the toothed portion 206 is forced away from the teeth of the inner toothed arm 201 to release the ratchet mechanism.

As shown best in FIG. 3, the teeth of the inner toothed arm 201 and the outer toothed arm 204 have a saw-tooth profile. Thus, if a line is drawn from the axis of the pivot mechanism 104 to each of the teeth, each tooth has one side making a small angle of between 0 and 10 degrees with the respective line, while the other side makes a large angle of 45 to 60 degrees with that line. Consequently, when a manual force is applied, tending to bring the two lever portions 106 and 108 together, the toothed portion 206 is able to ride over sloping sides of the teeth of the inner toothed arm 201 as the inner toothed arm slides further into the outer sleeve 203. However, due to the abutting steeper sides of the teeth, the movement of the inner toothed arm 201 out of the outer sleeve 203 is resisted by the outer toothed arm 204, unless its teeth are actively disengaged by depressing the button 112.

In use, this means that a user can close the jaws 109 and 110 onto an article on a clothes-line by forcing the two lever portions 106 and 108 together. The ratchet effect of the outer toothed arm 204 on the inner toothed arm 201 then maintains the force applied by the jaws on the article of clothing and prevents the release of the article until the button 112 is pressed. Because the amount by which the jaws are closed depends upon the force applied by the user, the user has control over the force that the peg 101 applies to the article to keep it fixed to the clothes-line. Therefore, a large force may be used to hold a heavy article such as a wet towel, or an article which is easily blown off a line, such as a sheet, while a smaller force may be used to hold a delicate fabric garment, such as a blouse.

The peg 101 also contains a second spring means 207 in the form of a helical spring. Either end of the spring 207 is located within a respective one of two opposing holes 208 and 209 formed in the lever portions 106 and 108. The helical spring 207 is compressed such that it tends to force the lever portions 106 and 108 apart, thereby forcing the jaws 109 and 110 apart. However, such a movement is resisted by the ratchet mechanism 111 unless button 112 is depressed.

The second spring means 207 simplifies the use of the peg in that, when an article is to be released from the peg 101, the depression of the button 112 releases the ratchet mechanism 111 and the second spring means 207 automatically forces the jaws 109 and 110 apart so that they are fully open. In the fully open position a lower face 210 of the lever portions butts up against an upper face 211 of the jaw portions to prevent further rotation.

FIG. 4

A perspective view of the individual components of the peg 101 is shown in FIG. 4. The peg 101 comprises only four individual components, namely: the first member 102; the second member 103; the outer toothed arm 204; and the helical spring 207. The helical spring is a conventional metal spring while the remaining three components are each moulded from a sufficiently rigid plastics material, such as polypropylene.

Therefore, the jaw portion 105, the lever portion 106 and the inner toothed arm 201 are moulded as a single item, as well as a pivot pin 401 which forms part of the pivot mechanism 104. The pivot pin 401 extends from the first member 102 and has an enlarged head 402 formed at its free end. The pivot pin 401 has a central hole 403 passing through it and three radial slots extending from the hole to the outside surface of the pin. Thus the pin 401 is effectively formed of three parts which may be flexed inwardly towards each other.

Similarly, the second jaw portion 107, the second lever portion 108, the sleeve 203 and the spring means 113 are moulded as a single item. A circular aperture 404 is defined by the second member 103 having a diameter dimensioned to allow the enlarged head 402 of the pin 401 to pass through, but only when the three parts of the pin are flexed inwardly. Thus, to assemble the peg 101 the pin 401 of the first member 102 is simply snap fitted into the aperture of the second member 103.

The holes 208 and 209 are formed within the first and second members 102 and 103 during the moulding process, and after snap fitting the two members 102 and 103 together the helical spring 207 is located within the holes.

The second member 103 also defines a pivot hole 405 produced in the moulding process, which has circular ridges formed on its wall. The pivot hole 405 is located on the lever portion 108 at a position from where the sleeve 203 extends.

In the current embodiment the spring means is in the form of a pair curved leaves extending up from the sleeve 203. However, in alternative embodiments the spring means 113 is replaced by a single leaf-like element, and in one embodiment (as shown in FIG. 5) the spring means is integrally moulded with the outer toothed member 204 instead of the sleeve 203.

The outer toothed arm 204 comprises a back plate 406 from which extends the toothed portion 206 and the button 112 at opposing edges and toward one end. A pivot pin 407 extends perpendicularly from the surface of the plate 406 towards the opposite end. The pivot pin 407 has a cylindrical wall on which ridges 408 are formed. The ridges 408 are dimensioned to fit in the hole 405 but only when they and the ridges within the hole are flexed. Thus, during assembly of the peg 101, the pivot pin 407 is push fitted into the hole 405 while the button 112 and toothed portion are positioned either side of the inner arm 201 and sleeve 203. The ridges of the pin 407 and hole 405 then resist removal of the pin but allow its rotation within said hole.

FIG. 5

An alternative peg 501 is shown in FIG. 5. The peg 501 is substantially the same as peg 101 except for details of its button, its spring means and its pivot mechanism which supports the outer toothed member.

Peg 501 has a button 512 which is extended when compared to button 112 of peg 112. The length of the button 512 is sufficiently long such that however widely the jaws of the peg are positioned, a portion of the button is always centrally positioned between the lever portions 506 and 508. This assists a one handed release of the ratchet mechanism while fingers of the hand support the lever portions.

A single leaf-like element 513 is integrally moulded with the outer toothed member 504 and extends downwards from the button 512. The leaf-like member 513 is orientated and dimensioned such that it is sprung against the upper surface of the sleeve 503. Thus, the leaf-like element provides a spring means for maintaining the engagement of the teeth of the outer toothed arm 504 with those of the inner toothed arm 591, until the button 512 is pressed.

A lip 592 extends upwards from the rear edge of the sleeve 503, into a small gap between the leaf-like member 513 and the back plate 546 of the outer toothed arm 504. The lip 592 provides additional robustness to the peg in that it resists the outer toothed arm 504 being pulled away from the sleeve 503.

A pivot mechanism 505 pivotally connects the outer toothed arm, 504 to the lever portion 508. The pivot mechanism differs from that of pivot mechanism 205 in that it comprises a hole in the lever portion 508 and pivot pin 507 which do not have ridges. Instead, the hole has a plane cylindrical surface and the pivot pin is configured in a similar manner to pin 401.

FIG. 6

The outer toothed arm 504 and the pivot pin 507 are shown in further detail in FIG. 6.

The pivot pin 507 is generally cylindrical in shape with a diameter that is chosen to fit within the hole in the lever portion 508. However, the pin 507 has an enlarged head 601 with a diameter that is slightly larger than that of said hole and, consequently, once located within the hole it is retained by the enlarged head. The enlarged head 601 is bisected by a slot 602 which allows the two halves of said head to be sprung towards each other and allow its insertion through the hole during assembly.

FIG. 7

A further alternative peg 701 embodying the present invention is shown in FIG. 7. The peg 701 has many features in common with the peg 101 of FIG. 1. Thus, the peg 701 comprises a first member 702 and a second member 703 which are pivotally connected by a pivot mechanism 704. The first member 702 comprises a jaw portion 705 and a lever portion 706, while the second member comprises a jaw portion 707 and lever portion 708. The jaw portions 705 and 707 each define one of a pair of opposing jaws, 709 and 710 respectively. The jaws 709 and 710 each have a concave surface configured to receive a clothes-line and portion of an article, such as an article of clothing, such that the peg may be used to hold the article on the line. The pivot mechanism 704 is positioned between the lever portion and the jaw portion of each member 702 and 703.

The peg 701 also has a toothed arm 721 which extends from the upper end of the lever portion 706 in a similar manner to inner toothed arm 201. The toothed arm is curved, having a centre of radius of curvature at the axis of the pivot mechanism 704, and has a saw-tooth shaped surface 750 along its side facing said axis. However, unlike peg 101, the peg 701 does not have an outer sleeve or a pivotally mounted outer toothed arm. Instead, the peg 701 has a spring arm 751 rigidly attached at one end to the upper end of the second lever portion 708, and an enlarged button portion 752 at the opposite end of the spring arm. The enlarged button portion 752 has a square-C-shaped cross-section such that its upper wall 712 extends over the toothed arm 721, its side wall extends down the side of the toothed arm 721 and its lower wall 726 extends underneath the toothed arm 721 across its saw-tooth shaped surface 750. The lower wall 726 has an upper surface which has several saw-tooth shaped teeth configured to engage with those of the surface 750.

In the relaxed position, before assembly of the peg 701, the spring arm 751 extends from the lever portion 708 at approximately 90 degrees. However, during assembly of the peg, the spring arm 751 is flexed to position the enlarged button portion 752 around the toothed arm 721, and consequently the spring arm 751 tends to force the teeth of wall 726 into engagement with the teeth of toothed arm 721. When the teeth are engaged in this way the toothed arm and the spring arm provide a securing means which secures the position of the first member relative to the second member.

The C-shaped portion 752 is made sufficiently large so that its teeth may be disengaged from those of the toothed arm 721 by manually pressing against the upper wall 712 of button portion 752. Once the teeth are disengaged the orientation of the first member 702 relative to the second member 703 may be adjusted.

Like the peg 101, the peg 701 is provided with a spring mechanism which tends to force the jaws of the peg open. Therefore, when the teeth of the spring arm and toothed arm are disengaged, the spring mechanism forces the jaws open without any further manual effort. In the present embodiment, this spring mechanism takes the form of a spring member 761 extending from the first member 702, and a post 762 extending from the second member 703 against which the spring member 761 presses. The spring member 761 is shown in FIG. 7 in its fully flexed position. When the teeth of the spring arm and the toothed arm are disengaged, the action of the spring member 761 against the post 762 causes the jaws of the peg to open.

In an alternative embodiment the spring member 761 and post 762 are replaced by a helical spring in the manner of the spring 207 of peg 101.

In a further alternative embodiment the spring member 761 and post 762 are replaced by a pair of spring members, each of which are attached to a respective one of the first and second members 702 and 703. The spring members press against each other in the space between the two lever portions 708 and 706 such that they tend to force the jaws of the peg open.

It should be noted that the interlocking teeth of the spring arm 751 and the toothed arm 721 are configured such that the button portion 752 must be manually pressed to allow the jaws of the peg to open, and the teeth of the spring arm are able to ride over those of the toothed arm during closing of the jaws. Thus, the toothed arm 721 in combination with the spring arm 751 provides a ratchet mechanism.

In common with known pegs, and the peg 101, the peg 701 has jaw portions which define an opening 763 for receiving a rope such as a clothesline. However, unlike known pegs, each of the jaw portions 705 and 707 of peg 701 is provided with a flexible inner jaw 764, 765 configured to flex when a rope is located in the opening 763. When a small rope is used the degree of flexing is small and when a larger rope is used the degree of flexing is similarly larger. Thus, the inner jaws 764, 765 automatically adjust to the size of rope being used.

The peg 701 is formed by clipping together just two moulded plastic components. The first member 702, the toothed arm 721, the spring member 761 and the inner jaw 765 are moulded as a single component, while the second member 703, the spring arm 751, the post 762, the inner jaw 764 and a split pivot pin of the pivot mechanism 704 are also moulded as a single component. In a similar manner to the pivot pin 401 of peg 101, the pivot pin of hinge mechanism 704 has an enlarged head, and is effectively formed of four parts which may be flexed inwardly towards each other.

To assemble the two moulded components of the peg 801, the toothed arm 721 is located within the button portion 752 of the spring arm 751, and the split pivot pin is pushed through a hole defined by the first member 702. The four parts of the pivot pin flex while they are being located within the hole defined by the first member 702, and then spring back to their relaxed position as the enlarged head of the pin emerges from said hole. Thus, the pivot pin snap fits within the hole of the first member 702 to hold the two components of the peg together.

FIG. 8

A further alternative peg 801, shown in FIG. 8, is substantially the same as the peg 101 of FIG. 1 but has a securing means like that of peg 701 of FIG. 7. Thus the peg 801 has a toothed arm 821 extending from a first lever portion 805, and a spring arm 851 rigidly attached at one end to the upper end of a second lever portion 808. The spring arm 851 has an enlarged button portion 852 at its opposite end. The enlarged button portion 852 has a square-C-shaped cross-section such that it has an upper wall 812 extending over the upper surface of the toothed arm 821, a side wall 861 extending down the side of the toothed arm and a lower wall 826 extending underneath a saw-tooth shaped lower surface 850 of the toothed arm. The lower wall 826 has an upper surface having several saw-tooth shaped teeth configured to engage with those of the surface 850.

The peg 801 has a helical spring 807, like that of peg 101. Thus, when the button portion 852 is pressed to release the jaws of the peg, the helical spring provides a means of automatically opening the jaws of the peg. 

1. A peg for holding articles on a line, comprising: a first member having a first jaw portion and a first lever portion; a second member having a second jaw portion and a second lever portion; a pivot means pivotally connecting the first member and the second member at a position between the jaw portion and the lever portion of each member; and a releasable securing means configured to secure the position of the first member relative to the second member at various positions, wherein each of said jaw portions defines a jaw, and the peg is configured such that the jaws are pivotable towards each other by pivoting the levers towards each other.
 2. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 1, wherein said securing means comprises a ratchet mechanism.
 3. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 2, wherein said ratchet mechanism comprises a spring means configured to hold interlocking portions of the ratchet mechanism together, and allow the ratchet mechanism to be released by manual force against the spring means.
 4. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 2, wherein said ratchet mechanism comprises a first toothed member extending from the first lever and a second toothed member configured to engage the first toothed member and supported from the second lever.
 5. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 3, wherein said ratchet mechanism comprises a first toothed member extending from the first lever and a second toothed member configured to engage the first toothed member and supported from the second lever.
 6. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 4, wherein the second toothed member is pivotally mounted on the second lever portion such that the second toothed member is configured to be disengaged from the first toothed member by pivoting.
 7. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 4, wherein the second toothed member is a flexible member rigidly mounted on the second lever portion such that the second toothed member is configured to be disengaged from the first toothed member by flexing.
 8. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 1, wherein said peg further comprises a second spring means configured to force the jaws apart when said securing means is released.
 9. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 2, wherein said peg further comprises a second spring means configured to force the jaws apart when said securing means is released.
 10. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 9, wherein said spring means is a helical spring.
 11. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 9, wherein said spring means comprises a spring member extending from one of said first and second members, and configured to press against a part of the other one of said first and second members.
 12. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 1, wherein said first member and said second member are each moulded from a plastics material.
 13. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 12, wherein said pivot means comprises a first hole defined by one of said first and second members, and an integrally moulded pivot pin extending from the other one of said members through said hole.
 14. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 13, wherein said pivot pin is configured to be a snap fit within said hole.
 15. A peg for holding articles on a line according to claim 1, wherein said jaw portions have a concave surface configured to receive a line and an article to be held on the line.
 16. A peg for holding articles on a line, comprising: a first member having a first jaw portion and a first lever portion; a second member having a second jaw portion and a second lever portion; a pivot means pivotally connecting the first member and the second member at a position between the jaw portion and the lever portion of each member; and a ratchet mechanism configured to secure the position of the first member relative to the second member at various positions, wherein each of said jaw portions defines a jaw, and the peg is configured such that the jaws are pivotable towards each other by pivoting the levers towards each other; and wherein said ratchet mechanism comprises a first toothed member extending from the first lever and a second toothed member configured to engage the first toothed member and supported from the second lever.
 17. A method of assembling a peg for holding articles on a line, comprising the steps of: receiving a first member having a first jaw portion and a first lever portion and a second member having a second jaw portion and a second lever portion; connecting said first member and said second member by a pivot means between the jaw portion and the lever portion of each member; and assembling a releasable securing means that secures the position of the first member relative to the second member at various positions, each of said jaw portions defining a jaw, such that when in use, the jaws are pivotable towards each other by pivoting said levers towards each other.
 18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said step of assembling includes the establishment of a ratchet mechanism.
 19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said establishment of a ratchet mechanism comprises configuring a spring means to hold interlocking portions of the ratchet mechanism together, such that in use the ratchet mechanism can be released by manual force against the spring means.
 20. A method according to claim 18, wherein said ratchet mechanism is established such that, in use a first toothed member extending from said first lever engages with a second toothed member supported by from said second lever. 